Sigma hires former Goldman MD Spooner to run Dubai

Spooner, who has over 35 years’ experience, joined Sigma Broking’s Dubai-based arm this month, pending regulatory approval as a Senior Executive Officer (SEO) from the Dubai regulator.

Matthew Kent, chairman of Sigma Broking, said: “We are excited to welcome Howard to our fast-growing Dubai-based business. His expertise positions Sigma perfectly to benefit from the huge opportunities in Dubai and across the Middle East.”

Spooner ran his own advisory firm for two years after leaving in late 2022 Deutsche Bank where he worked for over seven years as the bank’s London-based managing director, head of European equities.

Before that, Spooner was for two years the co-founder and chief investment officer at hedge fund Omni Partners. Previously, he spent two-and-a-half years as Barclays’ managing director and head of European equities, and six years as Goldman Sachs’ managing director, head of European cash equities and block trading.

Earlier in his career, Spooner did fourteen years at SG Warburg before his first stint at Deutsche which lasted six years and saw him become managing director of equity trading.

The hire is a coup for Sigma Broking which has been expanding rapidly in Dubai since opening in 2018, leveraging the presence of Sigma Private Office which has been operational in the Gulf since 2021.

Sigma Broking hired in September top metals trader Chris Adams from Sucden Financial to join the firm’s base metals broking team which is a London Metal Exchange category one member.

The appointment comes as Sigma Broking continues talks with a third-party about a possible sale, as first reported by FOW in June.

Sigma Broking became in January 2022 the first new London Metal Exchange category one member in more than 15 years.